Evaporative cooler



Jam 1, 1952 E. H. osBURN ETAL 2,580,826

EVAPORATIVE COOLER Filed Feb. 27, 195o 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 /IVI/f/VTORS EVERETT H. 05m/PN R/CHA R0 WAL K4 /N 5f im Xxmm Arron/Vey Jam l, 1952 E. H. osBURN ErAL 2,580,826

EVAPORATIVE COOLER Filed Feb. 27, 195o 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 4 4.4 4 9 f-/G 4 67 Y /8 -44 Z/ 0f@ a 24 3 H y. A 0

Z8 40 4/ f2 Z8 76 /m/E/vTaR- BLM i 71 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. l, 1952 EVAPORATIVE COOLER Everett H. Osburn and Richard Walklin,

Phoenix, Ariz. v

Application February 27, 1950, Serial No. 146,482

This invention pertains to evaporative air coolers.

Heretofore some efforts have been made to conserve water used in evaporative coolers by means of pumps which re-circulate the water from a sump positionedv below the evaporative pads, and apply to the top of the pads, and in other instances by cylindrical pads which rotate so that the lower` portion of the pad dips into and travels through the water in the sump.

These coolers have the disadvantage that unless new water is continuously added to the sump and continuously drained off through an over flow the salt and alkali in the water in the sump becomes concentrated and tends to deposit on the pad thereby lessening its efficiency. Further. if the cylindrical pad is allowed to remain idle. with a portion of its periphery immersed in the sump-water, this wetted portion becomes heavier than the drier portion and imbalances the pad so that considerable power is needed to start the rotation of the pad. This puts an undue and excessive strain on the driving mechanism.

3 Claims. (Cl. Mil-92) Similar numerals referto similar parts in the several views.

The cooler-housing or case 2 is composed of two main parts, a base 3 which is also a tank, and

In View of the foregoing, one of the objects d of our invention is to provide an evaporative cooler with an improved rotating pad member having more surface than the conventional cylindrical pads heretofore used;

A second object is to provide the cooler with means to automatically drain the sump at predetermined intervals so that when the pad is inoperative for any length of time it will completely dry out and there will be no damp area to cause unbalance;

A third object is to provide a mechanism for rotating the pad which is independent of the mechanism driving the blower;

A fourth object is to provide mechanism whereby fresh water entering the sump will assist in rotating the pad, and

A fth object is to provide an improved means of constructing the casing so that the interior will be more accessible for adjustment and serv'- icing of the mechanism.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

I attain the foregoing objects by means of the mechanism and devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the cooler; l

Figure 2, an end elevation thereof;

Figure 3, a vertical side section taken substantially on line 3--3, of Figure 4;

Figure 4, a plan View of the case with the top sectioned off to show the interior;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary portion of one end of the rotary pad support;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of ,the pad structure; and

Figure 7, an electrical wiring diagram of the operating controls.

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a cover 4 which encloses the working parts. Preferably the left or outer end 5 of the cover, the top 6, and the right end 1 can be made of one piece of sheet metal. The end uprights 8 and the intermediate upright 9 can be formed from the same piece of material, or they can be welded to the top piece to become integral therewith.

Blower vent I2 protrudes from the inner end l. Side panels I4 are removable to give access to the blower, and outer side panels I6 are removable to give access to the rotating pad and its attendant mechanism. Circular air-inlet openings Il are made in each of the panels I6 and collars I9 extend inwardly from the edges of these openings. The lower edges of cover 4, and the top edges of base 3 are folded inwardly at I8 and 2S) respectively, to form a means of attachment, and these mating flanges are fastened together by screws 2 I. i

Rotary evaporating element 24 is composed of two end disks 26 provided with central air-inlet holes 21 from the edges of which collars 28 extend outward. These disks are held together in correct relation to form a quasi-spool structure by rods 35 and 3l equally spaced and alternately arranged in two concentric annular circles. An evaporating pad 3| composed of an inner layer of excelsior 32 or other fibrous substance, held between coarse fabric 33 and 34, is threaded between these rods so as to pass over outer rods 35 and under inner rods 3l.

A shaft 4U is held in the rotary element 24 by suitable spiders 4| within the holes 2l and is journalled at each end in bearing spiders 42 which are within collars I9 formed incase panels I6. Collars I9 fit within rotor collars 28 in order to form an air seal between the rotor and the case.

A shelf 43 is removably attached to one of the panels I6. This supports a motor 44 and reduction gear 49 so that shaft 40 can be driven at a slow speed.

At the inner end of the case a blower 45 is supported in base tank 3 by members 46. It is driven by motor 41 and air is directed out of case 2 through vent I 2.

Water enters tank 3 through pipe 48, and is controlled manually by valve 50. Within the tank a oat valve 5I maintains water at a level 52 so that the evaporative pad 3| will dip into and beneath the surface of the water. As the water enters it is directed downward and tangentially by nozzle holesfon the lower side of pipe 53 so that it impinges Yon the surface of Dad 3l at a position to the right of or eccentrically to its axis, as viewed in Figure 3, so as to produce clock- 3 wise rotation of the evaporating element 24. This assists motor 44 in turning the element and therefore this motor can be made quite small.

A drain 55 in the bottom of tankV 3 is closed by a solenoidv operated valve 56. The closing plug 51 of this valve is normally held up in open position by spring 58, and is forced to closed position by magnetic solenoid 59. The windings of this coil are connected in shunt with motor 44, as shown in Figure '7.

An overflow pipe 6| is also set into the bottom of base tank 3 to keep water therein at level 52, so that if float valve fails to close Water will not rise over the predetermined level.

The cooler is installed by positioning it adjacent the Wall of an habitation to be cooled. Blower vent is connected to a duct leading to the roomsv to be cooled, water pipe 48 is connected to a source of water under pressure, the two drains are connected to disposal lines and motors 4l and 44 connected to a source of electricity through line leads 62 and controlled by switches 63 and 64, respectively. When valve 5D is opened water is sprayed on the pad 3| and it is rotated as above explained. At the same through said inlet openings and force it out time the blower can be started and operated to f force air from vent I2 into any cooling ducts desired. Cooling starts almost immediately.

Air is drawn into the interior of case 2 through holes 21 and thence through pad 3l which is wetted by spray fromv piper 53. is then forced out vent l2l by blower 45. When motor 44 is started solenoid valve 56 closes. Water sprayed on pad 3l and not evaporated is accumulated in base tank 3 until level 52 is reached. Valve 5l then closes and pad 3| is maintained wet by running through this water in the tank. When the cooler is turned 01T, for any reason, drain valve 56 opens and drains all water from tank 3. This prevents the water This cooled air from becoming stagnant and forming algae growths which cause the pad to give oif unpleasant odors. The pad dries out completely and does not deteriorate rapidly.

Since the pad is folded in and out over bars 35 and 3l more evaporating surface is made available than if a plain cylindrical pad is used. Since there is more pad area the velocity of air passing through the pad can be reduced in order to attain better cooling.

This lower air velocity also prevents the drawing of water through the pad or off its surface in the form of small droplets, and eliminates the fault, common to this type ofcooler, of blowing unevaporated water particles into the room to be cooled. On the other hand a pad, such as shown here, will become very unbalanced if it is allowed to stand for any length of time with its lower part immersed while its upper portion dries out. By the arrangement shown the entire pad dries out evenly when motor 44 is shut off. However the cooler can be reoperated immediately, when desired, because the entering water sprays on and wets the pad until tank 3 is lled. When starting, valve is opened and when closing down this valve is closed. Obviously, valve 5U can be electrically operated when remotev control is desired, and this can be done by a circuit in parallel with either motor, or by an independent circuit.

Since pad 3l should be cleaned or renewed from time to time and the other mechanismserviced, panels I4 and I6 are made removable independently of the case cover 4. AThe exact .structure of the case may vary, however, with through a vent in one of the walls of said case; a generally cylindrical rotary evaporating element operating at the other end of said case, having open ends connecting its interior to said inlet openings, and a peripherally disposed evaporative pad adapted to admit air into said case through said pad; means for wetting said pad and supplying water to said tank including a supply pipe connected to a source of water under pressure having outlet jets positioned to direct a spray of water tangentially against the outer surface of said rotary evaporative element; means for maintaining a pool of water in said tank at a level sufficient to immerse the lower portion of said pad; motor means adapted to rotate said evaporating element; and an electrically controlled valve in the bottom of said tank adapted to automatically open and drain said tank when said motor means is inoperative, and to close when said motor means is operating.

2. In an evaporative cooler having a case, a tank formed in the bottom of said case adapted to hold water at a predetermined level, an electrically driven blower for drawing air into said case and for forcing it therefrom, a rotary evaporative element rotated by an electric motor operative in said case so as to dip the lower circumferential portion thereof beneath the surface of the water in said tank, the combination therewith of means for drying out said pad by removing all water from said tank when said cooler is not in use, and for wetting said pad when starting operation, comprising an automatically operating drain valve having a closing plug normally held open by a spring, and closed by a solenoid electrically connected with said electric motor, adapted to rotate said evaporative element, so as to be energized only when said motor is operating, and a water supply pipe, connected to a source. of water under pressure, provided with a constant level valve for maintaining water at a predetermined level in said tank, connected to spray discharge openings adapted to forcefully direct spray jets upon the circumferential surface of said evaporative element tangentially so as to aid rotation thereof by said motor and coincidentally wet the surface of said evaporative element during the course of a single revolution thereof.

3. In an evaporative cooler having a case with a sump at the bottom thereof, means for maintaining water therein at a predetermined level by water from a supply pipe controlled by a float valve, a blower therein adapted to draw air thereinto and discharge it through a vent into space to be cooled, and an electrically driven rotary evaporative element having a peripheral pad operative within said case having its circumferential periphery disposed to dip below the surface of water in. said sump, the combination therewith of means for automatically drying said pad by removal of water from said sump, including a drain valve, normally held open by spring means, and adapted to be closed by electrical means connected with the electrical means driving said rotary evaporative element, and means connected with the water supply oat valve for directing a spray on lthe outer surface of said peripheral pad of said evaporative element when water is admitted through said oat valve.

EVERETT H. OSBURN.

RICHARD WALKLIN.

REFERENCES CITED 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Partridge 1 Jan. 26, 1932 Stlphen Jan. 19, 1937 Bock Dec. 30, 1941 Loprich Nov. 3, 1942 Reinhardt Feb. 2, 1943 Coey et al Mar. 21, 1944 

